‘People Power candidate’ blocked from guild president race

The Gulu University electoral commission has blocked the nomination of Imuran Ntambazi Java, one of the students who showed interest in contesting the Guild presidency, for allegedly identifying himself with People Power.
Mr Java, 21, is a second year student pursuing Bachelor of Science in Computer Science.
He had identified himself with People Power, a pressure group associated to the Kyadondo East legislator Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine.
However, on Saturday when he went for nomination, the returning officer of the university’s electoral commission, Mr Edmond Okello, blocked him because he had not met the minimum requirements.
Mr Okello told Daily Monitor in an interview yesterday that they stopped Mr Java’s nomination on advice from the university’s dean of students.
Mr Okello said they believe he was not recommended because he [Java] had earlier identified himself with the People Power yet the university’s constitution does not allow political affiliations.

Others permitted
He, however, said four other candidates were successfully nominated adding that the processes went on without interruption.
Those nominated are Mr Alexander Okidi, a second-year student pursuing Bachelor of Development Studies, and Samuel Oyet Agwani, a second-year student pursuing Bachelor of Arts, Education. Others are Johnson Nowe, a third- year student of Medicine and Surgery and Moses Etyak, a second-year student of Bachelor of Computer Science.
Mr Christopher Mpora, the dean, said he was busy and could not comment on the matter.

We shall head to court
Mr Tonny Olanya Olenge, the chief strategist for Mr Java, said they are planning to sue the university electoral commission for unfairly blocking their candidate.
“What they did is unfair to us, they stopped our candidate from contesting simply because he identified himself with the People Power pressure group which is not a political party,” Mr Olenge said.
Voting will take place on April 7, after two weeks of campaigns, as per the university’s the electoral commission. At least 4,500 students are expected to vote.

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